Sweat bands for hats and caps



Jan. 21, 1958 P. TOPIEL ETAL 2,820,

swm BANDS FOR HATS AND CAPS Filed Feb. 11, 1955 INVENTORSI Phllip Topiel By Pincus Topiel Mk CZMA'K ATTORNEY 2,820,226 SWEAT BANDS FOR HATS AND CAPS Philip Topic] and Pincus Topiel, Bronx, N. Y. Application February 11, 1955, Serial No. 487,606 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-181) an improved resiliently extensible and contractible band which is eminently suitable for use in articles such as a cap or hat, to impart to the latter a range of self-adjustability so that such cap or hat is adapted to fit a range of head sizes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved band of the above character which is uniquely simple in design and construction, economical to produce in large quantities, and whichjis well adapted for quick and facile integration with caps and hats while using conventional apparatus and processes.

Another object of the present invention is the provision Y of an improved cap or hat having a peripherally extensible and contractible sweat band, whereby such cap or hat is adapted to fit a range of head sizes, providing comfort to the wearer, and reducing manufacturing and store inventories, with the attendant advantages that flow therefrom.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description thereof proceeds,

when considered in connection with the accompanying v? illustrative drawing. g In the drawl'ngwhich illustrates a desired mdtld'now contemplated for carrying out the invention:

Fig. 1 is a bottom plan view of a cap having a sweat band formed embodying features of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the cap shown as positioned on a wearers head;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary top perspective view of a band length formed according to the present invention, portions of the band length being broken away to reveal structural details;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary bottom perspective view of the band shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the band length, to enlarged scale, illustrating the manner of securing the parts of the band length together;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan view, to an enlarged scale, of the band length; and

Fig. 7 is a transverse cross-sectional view, substantially on the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawing, and, more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a head covering article 10 of the type commonly referred to as a cap.

,Article 10 is provided with a composite sweat band 12 which is peripherally resiliently extensible and contractible. The cap, which has a head opening 14 defined by said band of a preselected dimension, is thus adapted to fit a range of head sizes. The composite band 12 may be integrated with any desired kind of head covering; the

2,820,226 Patented Jan. 21, 1958 specificcap illustrated and to be described hereinafter is merely shown for purposes of example.

The band 12 is formed from composite strip material, a length of which is indicated at 16 in Figs. 3, 4 and 6, said length of composite strip material comprising the longitudinally extending and longitudinally extensible and contractible fabric strip material 18 having the longitudinally extending elastic strip material 20 sewed thereto in face-to-face confronting disposition. The fabric strip material 18 is formed of a closely woven band fabric material which normally is inextensible in the direction of the warps or weft, but is bias cut to strip form. In this manner, said strip material will have a degree of longitudinal extensibility.

Accordingly, as shown in Fig. 6, the component threads 22 and 24 of the strip material 18 are perpendicularly disposed to each other and are disposed in inclined disposition to the longitudinal and lateral axes of the length of composite strip material 16, said strip material 18 thereby having limited longitudinal extensibility. It will be understood that the strip material 18 may be formed of any suitable textile material and the latter may be composed of natural or synthetic fibers or yarns. The elastic strip material 20 is constituted by a strip of very flexible and resilient sheet material and may be formed of natural or synthetic rubber, or the like. Preferably, a very thin strip of formed latex isused, the thickness of the strip being substantially of. th'e order of the fabric itself. Such material, in addition. to its elasticity, has inherent resistance to penetration of the oils natural to hair, as well as to moisture, typically sweat at the forehead.

The fabric strip material 18 has longitudinally extending marginal strip portions 26 and 28 folded over the longitudinally extending marginal portions 30 and 32,

respectively, of the strip material 20, as best shown in Fig. 4; said strip materials 18 and 20 are secured to each other in this disposition by means of the lines 34 of elastic or loose stitching. The lines of stitching 34 extend through the three layers of material, one of said layers'being constituted by the strip material 20, and the other two layers being constituted by the strip material '18 having the foldedover portions-26 and 28,"said'lines of stitching extending through the composite st-ripmaterial 16 along said portions. The folded over strip portions 26 and 28 define the fold lines 36 and 38, respectively, at the marginal side edges of the composite strip material; the fabric strip material 18 between said fold lines and the strip of sheet material 20 are substantially coextensive.

The lines of stitching 34 are spaced inwardly of the side edges 36 and 38 and extend substantially parallel to the latter. Said lines of stitching may be produced by using ordinary thread which will be stitched to the fabric so that an effective elasticity is imparted. For this purpose, any conventional elastic or loose stitch structure may be used, such as loose chain stitching, as shown in the illustrated embodiment, semi-lock chain stitching, chain stitching having two loopers, or even loose lock-stitching. In the loose chain stitch structure of the illustrated embodiment, the straight stitch part 40 of the stitch structure is disposed on the outer face 42 of the composite strip material 16 so that said face presents a neat and finished appearance with a minimum of surface interruption. It will be apparent that loose or elastic stitching 34 is utilized to secure the strip materials 18 and 20 together in order to permit the composite strip material to extend longitudinally when tensioned.

In practice, the composite strip material 16 may be formed in any desired manner utilizing conventional apparatus. For example, a supply of fabric strip material 16 and a supply of strip material 20 may be fed to a station, and there brought'i'nto superposed relation. The

marginal "strip portions 2'6 and 28' are simultaneously 'S'aid' cap may, comprise .a crown part 44 having aforep'iece-or visor 46 secured thereto.- andprojecting therefrom. Aportion oicompos'ite, strip material- '16,, which has a peripherally extending mar'g'ihalI'sid'e edge portion 50 .islsecuredtothe,permheralzedge SZo'fIhe crown part .414 by any, suitablfemlastikzjstitchingieil It desired, a marginal edgeportion .oflthe vison 46 may. hetsecuredhetween edgeportion Shandiperipheral edge'ISIby the samestit'ch- .ing 54 utilized ,to :secnrenthehatlliand 12 to the crown mart. 44. I The. overlappedlfree ends .of strip material 16 are then .secnredlto each other. by stitching .48 to form the...endless. hat. hand .12; It. Willi-he, observed that the hand 1'2..i's secured.to thecrownpantd l. so that, the outer or finished jfane; 4.2. thereof-is -presentcd for contact .the. wearers. head,;.as shown .in Fig; 2.

The; hat bandd2 is thusperipherally; resiliently extensitile. andcontractibl'e, whereby a single. .size, haLor cap.

is adapted -.to fitrarange of head;sizes=,,proviiiing-comfont to the wearer. .and reducing .manuiacturing. .and store inventories, withutheeob'vious advantages .thaLflotw. therefrom.

Whilethereieshownanih desctilied hereintcertaimspecific.structure emliodlyi'ngthe ihvention itwill bemaniiest to: those skilledtin .the art, that. variousmodifications. and

rearrangements.,.of.:the pantssmay. be .made without departing :from. thespirit and .scopeofi theunderlying, inventive concept, and that the same-issuer limited to the particular form-:hereintshowintand,described exceptinsovfar as indicated by, theiscope .o'fwthe appendedeclaims.

In: theclaims the term fimperforate" .is notinten'cledto exclude :spongymaterialaethattis, :materialshaving blind pores-.01 holes .whichidomotaextend thmnghflie thickness What is claimed as new and useful is:

"1'. flcomposite barrd'for use'as a'sweatbandforhats and caps, said bond comprising a strip of woven fabric material which is bias cut to make the same somewhat extensible, said strip being smooth and flat for comfortable direct contact with the head of the wearer, and a strip of flexible and resilient imperforate continuous sheet material positioned on thefabr ic- -material in face-to-face relation,,.said ,imperforate. strip. being at least. as wide as the composite 'band, said woven fabric material being widertham thezcompnsite band-Lintorder to provide marginaLportions said manginalportions being .folded over the 'impefforate strip to provide'the desiredbandwidth, the imperforate striprandltlie fabnicmaterial and the folded over marginal portions being secured together by hnes of extensible stitching extending longitudinally of the band, adjacent the side edges thereof.

2. A composite handfor use asasweatband; for. hats and caps, saidband comprising a .stripoflwoven 'fabric .material whichis bias cut to make the samesomewhatex- 'tensible, said strip-being smooth and' fiaLfor comfortable direct contactw'ith the'headiofthe wearer, and atstripof vflexible and'res'ilient imperfhrate continuous sheetmaterial havihggthe characteristicsof. nihbercand positioned. on the fabric material'in 'face-to-facehrelation, said'imperforate strip heing atl'east aswi'd'e as the composite hand, said woven fabric. material being wider. than the. composite band in order to provide marginal portions, saidlmarginal portions being folded oventhenimperforate striputo. provide the desiredfband. width, the .imperioratestrip and the fabric materialfland the folded nvermarginal portions being, secured .togethen'by, lines of. extensible, stitching, extending longitudinally.- o'fthehand' adjacentIhe side edges thereof;

Reenemcestited inctheafileroftthisipatent:

PATENTS 1,512,341 61 Sherman. Oct. .121,v 19-24 ..2,013.,245. Lewis .Sept. .3... 1935 2,148,583 Adamson May- 24,4938 2,132,616 Hardie Oct. 11, 1938 2,149,128. Thorner et. al... .Feb. 28,11939 2,696,618 :Hofiman. -.rDec.-14, 1954 *FQREIGN 204,993 Great Britainvnmuuuf'oht. 11;1'1923 

